RP:Circle of Protection

Synopsis: Talyara and Lanara cast a circle, and do a spell of protection, to aide them in the coming drow vs. elf war.

Talyara walks into the beautiful clearing, a bundle in her arms. The light reflecting off of the moons shines on the half elf’s face, revealing her cheeks red and flushed. A few snowflakes cling to her chestnut tresses as she drops her parcel and unties the wolf fur-lined cloak about her shoulders. “Good evening my dear sister! I finally had the good sense to get something warm for when I travel to Frostmaw! Have you been there yet?” She tosses her cloak on the ground and kneels beside the bag and unties it. “Shall we set up our altar?”

Lanara sits on a log, stretching lazily, and stifling a yawn. Clearly, the elf had recently woken from a much needed nap, as there were still dark circles beneath her eyes. Sleepily, she smiles as her sister enters the clearing, the woman rising to greet the half elf, before taking a seat before the large, peaceful, tree. "Evening. Aye, I was in Frostmaw, yesterday. Met a half drow and the steward, there. Odd people, but kind, nonetheless. Not sure how I feel about the half drow, quite yet. Can't trust that race." Tonight she was donning a beautifully woven, emerald green, floor length, evening gown. With the cutest matching slippers, and her long locks were done in an elegant up do. "I dressed for the occasion." She murmurs, while rummaging her own back, beside her sister. "Let's get started!"

Talyara chuckles at her sister's elegant attire and glances down at her own skirt which was torn at the bottom and laced with dirt and dust. She had obviously been out gallivanting in the woods because there were also snags from branches about her outfit. There was a smidgen of dirt was smudged across her cheek. “You are always so elegant, Lanara.” Like her sister, Talyara had tied her hair up on top of her head, but it wasn’t done stylishly. Rather, it was thrown up quickly and several loose strands hung about her face. The witch looks around the clearing. “This place is perfect, how did you find it?” She pulls out some small jars of herbs, a sage bundle, and some stones. “Did you happen to remember some candles?”

Lanara eyes her sisters clothing, and grins. Talyara always was a nature lover, and it showed. Both sisters were tomboys, from time to time, but Lanara always tried to wear something special on a high holiday, or during a circle. Smoothing out her beautiful dress, which hugged her slender curves, she nods at her sister, though it was obvious she was hiding something, behind those chocolate brown eyes. It would wait for another time, she thought, feigning a smile at her soul mate. "Of course I remembered the candles! I also brought us sweet cake and ale." Pointing to a small picnic style blanket on the far side of the clearing was a pitcher of ale, a plate of cinnamon buns, and a bowl of mixed fruit. A single white candle was lit in the middle of the blanket, and Taylor sat on guard, eyeing the delicious treats, but knowing better than to snatch one from the blanket. A tree stump was to the side, firmly rooted into the ground, and assuming that's where they would set up their altar, she began to pull out several candles from her backpack.

Talyara moves her own supplies towards the tree stump and begins to help her sister set up the altar. She lifts her emerald gaze to the sky and locates the stars to help aid in her directions. Upon finding north, she begins to set up the elemental aspects of the altar, minus the candles. “You know, Lanara, not only am I a witch, but I am also your sister. This means I can sense when you’re holding something back from me.” Talyara had felt a different energy radiating off of her sister. “We are supposed to enter the circle in perfect love and perfect trust. How can we do that if you’re withholding?” She wasn’t scolding her sister, but rather urging her to open up. She didn’t look at her sister as she spoke, but rather kept her hands and eyes on the task at hand.

Lanara avoids looking at her sister, as well. She busies herself with placing a candle on each area of the altar, one to represent each element. And in the center of the altar, she placed two large pillar candles, one white and one black. To represent the God and Goddess, the white candle was on the left, as always. Plucking a feather from her hair, she places that to the east of the altar, to represent air. And a tiny red candle was placed in the south, to represent fire. A vial of dragon's tears was placed in the west, for water. And in the north, she picked a beautiful rosebud from the clearing, to represent earth. She would let her sister decorate the rest of the altar, as she carried more tools with her, on a regular basis. Lanara then lowers herself to the ground, and removes her slippers, allowing her toes to wiggle in the warm grass. "I don't know... I... Okay, so you know how the drow took our home and murdered our mother? Well... I am giving karma a little nudge. I believe I wasn't only sent here to find you, but to aid in the war that's recently started here. Elves versus Drow. Again." Sighing, she shakes her head, and tucks a curl behind her ear. "I am involved now, Tally. I volunteered to make an antidote to repel the venom that the drow use, with their arrows. I will be aiding from the sidelines, on the day of the war. Please, you can't breathe a word of this to anyone! My life depends on it...And I know that it may be wrong, and I'm a firm believer in karma, but I don't believe the rule of three applies here. Not when I've lost so much, so soon. I'm just following my own path. And maybe I can find a home here, or I will just leave after the war. I'm restless, always looking over my shoulder, and I'm sleeping in a den with bears. I don't have a home, anywhere..." The young elf's voice broke at this, and she stares at her toes, hugging her knees to her chest. "I'm sorry, Tally. I know you are disappointed in me."

Talyara halts her decoration of their altar as her sister begins to speak. She sits on the ground across from her sister, head cocked to the side as listens to her confession. The young witch reaches forward and takes her sister’s hand in hers. Lanara was most likely expecting a frown on her sister’s face, but instead, a small smile tugs at the corners. “My dear sister, why would I be disappointed in you? It just so happens that your little sister is also involved in this war as well.” Tally takes a quick glance over her shoulder to assure that they were alone before turning back to Lanara, lowering her voice to just barely above a whisper. “I was approached last night about helping aid the elves in finding out whether or not a certain human has been helping the drows kill our people.” She shrugs her shoulders and moves back to the altar and begins to decorate the rest, adding a small dagger as the athame, a beautiful owl feather and some other pieces of nature to make it perfect. “As for your living situation, why don’t you come stay with me in the cottage? I’m sure my…” Tally pauses trying to think of the word to describe the man, “Whatever he is, wouldn’t mind. It’s not like he checks up on me or anything.”

Lanara sighs heavily, half in relief and half in further worry. Her little sister was involved in the war, too?! Meeting Tally's hypnotic emerald hues, she smiles faintly, though tears sting her eyes. "You be careful, sister. If anything happens to you... I don't know what I will do! I have nothing and no one, you are my everything. Promise me you will be kept safe, at all times! And if you are in danger, you come to me, first. Promise me!" Her words were spoken rushed and in panic, as she squeezes Talyara's hand, and stares intently at her pretty face. "I can't ever lose you! I've lost you one, and I can't and won't go through that again. I know that I can hold my own; I've had many years of training. But you are much younger than me, and you're far more trusting in others! I worry..." Shaking her head, she sighs, takes several deep breaths, and centers herself. "Now that our secrets are out of the air, shall we do a circle of protection and well being on ourselves? And... Are you still pruning his trees? I still haven't met this man; I do hope he is treating you well. I met a boy!" Instantly, her cheeks darken, and she diverts her gaze. "Um... He's quite handsome. His name is Hudson. I think we may be friends, someday. Who knows? And thank you, but no... I don't want to live with your man and his peach trees. I will be okay."

Talyara reaches her hand forward and hooks her pinky finger with her sister’s, a signal of the most sincere promise they could make, a tradition they started when they were little girls. “I promise I will be as careful as I can be sister, and you must promise me the same! Now that I have you back in my life I do not intend to lose you again.” She pauses for a moment and feigns a look of surprise as her sister mentions a man. “Ooh, Lanara has a crush!” She squeals teasingly. “I cannot wait to hear all about him!” She laughs as her sister comments on the man’s peaches. “Lanara, I do not live with him!” She exclaims mid-chuckle. “He lives in a huge mansion; I simply stay in a small cottage on the lands. Please say you’ll come stay with me?” Talyara offers her sister a protruding bottom lip and turns her large eyes in Lanara’s direction, fanning her long eyelashes as she does so. She might be a young woman now, but she wasn’t beyond such childish begging.

Lanara blinks rapidly, meeting her sister's surprised gaze. "I... I don't know if I have a crush. He's quite handsome. He plays kickball, and he's going to teach me one day! I don't know all that much about him, and I rarely if ever speak to men. But there's something about him. I'm not even sure if he's single. But I don't believe in true love, I mean... I've never even been kissed!" Shaking her head, slightly embarrassed, she immediately changes the subject, tightening her pink around Talyara's. "I promise, as well. We are meant to always be together, never apart. And I come here, quite often, it's so peaceful. Reminds me of back home, you know?" At that moment, her sister's playful pouting and big green eyes cause her to erupt in a fit of girlish giggles. "Tally! You always knew how to turn on the charm! But no! I will be okay! I want a place to call our own, one day. Or my own, if you ever marry that orange grove man. It's more than just having a place to sleep, for me. I know you understand. But I will consider spending a night there, every now and then." Grinning, she pulls her sister in for a hug, and pinches her cheek. "Time to do our altar devotion, doll."

Talyara returns her sister’s embrace and chuckles as she pulls away. She mumbles something under her breath about “orange groves” and shakes her head, gently striking her palm against her forehead. She unfolds her legs, stretching as she does so and stands, extending her arms down help her sister up. “I do not think I will stay there long, I am enjoying my travels in Frostmaw, perhaps I will settle there. And I can promise you, I will not be marrying the orchard man, he is the governor of Rynvale, after all, and I’m sure wants nothing to do with an unpredictable witch like me!” She grins as she enlists her trusty familiar, the black squirrel Grandpa, to light the candles on the altar for them. “And truth be told, I have never kissed a man either, although that’s not to say I am not eager!” She offers her sister a most mischievous smirk.

Lanara gasps, rising to her feet with Tally's assistance, and stares wide eyed at the half elf. "Eager?! I am terrified! I will probably bite his lips off, or bump noses, or something equally mortifying!" A nervous giggle erupts from her, as she makes her way to the opposite side of the altar. "Any man should be honored to have you as his wife, sister. Never forget that! And Frostmaw is nice, though cold. I have liked Cenril, as of late, and if Sage Forest is reclaimed by the elves, perhaps I will make my home there." With a worried glance at Grandpa, she watches closely as the monstrous rodent creates multiple fireballs and sends them to each candle, setting them aflame. Lanara mutters something about using the squirrel as a 'sacrifice' which sends him into angry chittering and showing her his teeth. "Shall we begin?" Without waiting for a response, the elf raises both arms to the sky and looks up at the moon, before crossing both wrists over her chest and bowing her head, eyes closed. She greeted the God and Goddess.

Talyara closes her eyes a moment and romanticizes about what her first kiss will be like, imaging some sweet suitor coming and sweeping her off her feet. She was not naive, no matter how eager, and like her sister, did not believe in love at first sight. Still, some playful kissing was nothing to dismiss...Tally reaches down and flicks Grandpa’s ear to force him to move from the altar. “We won’t be using you as a sacrifice, you little fur ball!” She follows her sister’s motions, greeting the God and Goddess to their circle, before reaching down and grasping the smooth handle of her athame. She turns to face the north and, with eyes still closed, extends both arms towards the sky. “Hail to the Guardians of the North, Ancient Ones of Earth! We call to you on this night to join us, and lend your traits of wisdom, grounding, and patience. May you be blessed and smile upon this rite. Hail and welcome!” Talyara then moves deosil to the next quarter. She speaks in the same clear, strong voice, “Hail to the Guardians of the East, Ancient Ones of Air! We call to you on this night to join us, and lend your traits of intelligence, psychic development, and innocence. May you be blessed and smile upon this rite. Hail and welcome!” The young half elf then turns to her sister and whispers, “Would you like to call upon the South and West?”

Lanara watches as Grandpa begrudgingly scampers away and feels the energy of the elements called, as they are invoked. Her sister appears calm, confident, and wise beyond her years, as she summons the North and East powers to their circle. Upon the inquisition, Lanara nods and stands before the southern part of the altar, and extends both arms above her head. “Hail to the Guardians of the South, Ancient Ones of Fire! We call to you on this night to join us, and lend your traits of passion, creativity, and motivation. May you be blessed and smile upon this rite. Hail and welcome!” She then moves to the western most part of the altar, and extends her arms above her head. “Hail to the Guardians of the West, Ancient Ones of Water! We call to you on this night to join us, and lend your traits of intellect, sensitivity, and intuition. May you be blessed and smile upon this rite. Hail and welcome!” The elf then takes three pinches of salt and places them in a small cauldron of water; she stirs the liquid thrice, with her pointer finger, in a clockwise motion. She then meets her sister’s gaze, beckoning for her to continue.

Talyara smiles as her sister invokes the remaining elements and shivers slightly as the energy in their circle intensifies as all the elements join them. As her sister creates the holy water, Talyara snatches up the sage bundle and ignites the end, allowing the leaves to smolder some and emit their pungent smoke. As the smoke begins to billow she begins to waft it in her sister’s direction, cleansing her energy. When Lanara is done, she turns the smoke upon herself and does move it along her body. When she is done cleansing her own energy she places the smudge stick in the empty abalone shell. Lanara smiles as she feels the energy flowing through her, the rune tattoo on her left wrist pulsing powerfully, as she is cleansed from the sage. Placing her hands above the altar she motions for her sister to do the same, and the two women make three quick clockwise, circular motions, melding all of the elements into one. A flash of light erupts from the God and Goddess candles, and a hint of a breeze passes through the circle. Lanara inhales the scent of the sage, mixed herbs, and flowers, sighing in content.

Talyara follows her sister’s beckoning and waves her hand clockwise over the altar, helping her sister meld the elements into one. A burst of energy shoots through her and her skin seems to tingle, her hair standing on end. The warming flames of the candle and the aromatic herbs seem to place the young witch in a trance. Her breathing slows and becomes steady, her muscles release any left over tension, and everything seem so at ease. After several quiet, meditative moments, Tally speaks in her strong voice. “God and Goddess, Ancient Ones of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, we ask you to bless us with your safety. Keep watch over us as we help our people regain our land. Allow us to navigate this war safely and protect us from any wrongdoing whether it is in the physical, mental, or spiritual nature.”

Lanara inhales deeply and exhales, her sisters words and the magic in the air, sending mystical vibrations up and down her slender form. Eyes closed, she holds her hands outward, allowing the energy of the circle to enter her and flow through her body, as she chimes in, as well. "And as always, make certain that this doesn't backfire on either of us. We are casting this circle with pure intent, and good notions. Let it harm us, never. In the name of the maiden, the mother, and the crone, so mote it be!"

Talyara is further fueled by her sister’s words; the magical energy seems to be crackling around them. Should anybody enter their sacred space at this time, even someone not adept in magical workings, would feel some shift in energy. She bellows out a strong, “So mote it be!” echoing her sister’s words and allows her hands to fall, resting at her sides. Slowly, she opens her large emerald eyes and blinks quickly, a sudden sense of dizziness overcoming her. She raises a hand to her head and pinches the bridge of her nose, inhaling and exhaling deeply before lying back on the grass and grounding herself, allowing the excess energy coursing through her body to flow back into the earth.

Lanara feels the energy flowing through her, as a sudden burst of new energy surges through her, as her sister seals the prayer. Her knees slightly shake and she sways from side to side, for a brief moment, before she lowers herself to a kneeling position on the ground. Closing her eyes she imagines her body, rooted to the ground, and gives back the excess borrowed energy, into the ground. She rests there for several moments, before her breathing returns to normal, and she offers Talyara a glass of ale and a sweet cake. “Here… We need to refuel.” Grinning, she bites into the delicious baked good, and sighs, staring up at the stars.

Talyara gratefully accepts Lanara’s cakes and ale and sighs contently as she takes several large gulps of the ale. She bites into the sweet cake and smiles. “Mmm, these almost taste like Mother’s! Where did you find these?” Talyara reaches over and spills some of her ale into the ground and tosses a few pieces of the cake, offering them to God and Goddess as libations.

Lanara offers a strawberry from the large bowl of fruit, and some of her ale, as well, as libations. The witch sprawls out and lies on her back, grinning from ear to ear. "I made them. Do they really taste like Mother's?!" Beaming with pride, she finishes the last bite of her cake and offers the remaining sweet cake to Taylor. The cat purrs, rubs against Lanara's long legs, and lies against her stomach, daintily eating the offered treat. Not one to exclude another, Lanara then hurls a piece of melon at Grandpa.

Talyara chuckles as Grandpa chitters excitedly and devours the melon in two bites. She finishes the remainder of her cake and lies back down on the soft grass, gazing up at the starry night. “Yes, Lanara, they taste just like Mother’s! You must have inherited her culinary skills, because I sure didn’t. I can barely make edible tea!” She sighs contentedly, being with her sister, creating magic, eating cake just like Mother’s. If she closed her eyes she could just imagine she was back at home, before Lanara went away to the academy, before she received her scar, before her mother was killed...

Lanara moves to her sister, and lies beside her, draping an arm lazily over her sister’s midsection. Taylor angrily hisses at Talyara and storms off, glaring at the two cuddling sisters. Grinning, Lanara shakes her head at the possessive cat, and kisses Tally on the forehead. "Let's sleep here tonight, sister. This place is peaceful, and hardly anyone knows about it. We should be safe. It will be like old times, when you would be frightened during a thunderstorm and climb into bed with me. In the morning we would bicker over who snored loudly or hogged the covers!" Laughing softly, she gives her sister a gentle squeeze, and rests her head on her shoulder. After several minutes of silence, she drifts off into a deep, and content, sleep.